Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-23
A DRY GOODS PALACE.
AN ARMY OF EMPLOYEES GETTING
READY TO CLOSE UP.

the Evening-Cash Girls In Marching
Array-A Startling Sight-Night Work.
Rigid Discipline.
Bang went a gong at O'Clock in the
evening in a palatial dry goods emporium
on Sixth avenue. Instantly 1900 en-
ployes stopped work.
what means this connection asked
a reporter OF the manager.
"That bell notifies our army that they
are to get ready to close up" was the re-
ply. s'In a moment you will hear the
gong strike twice. That means to cover
up the shelves and counters. Three bells
will ring after that, and all those who are
not waiting on customers iii the dress
goods department will go home. Four
bells sends down the attendants on the
upper floor and five bells empties the
house Of all but the cash girls. Wait until
they form in line II is a sight
The reporter waited until the gong rang
six times. Instantly the ties of rigid but
necessary discipline were cut, and the lit
tie ones formed in squads. Such a cy
clone of voices and crowding for place. 1t
reminded the observer Of a college cane
rush.
Those girls are as hard to control as
regiment Of boys, - said the good natured
manager at seems Incredible that in
their anxiety to obtain desirable places in
the line they can be 80 rough. We dislike
doing il. but we are sometimes Obliged TO
discharge a few Of them for their rough
conduct. These girls are all over the age
Of IA years, and they must be furnished
with certificate from schoo. teacher
before we employ them"
AT given signal one squad marched
past the other. There were no careworD
faces in the ranks. They all went past
smiling, winking or slyly making faces at
the other squad.
''Oh they went out first lat night"
cried little one in the company left be-
hind. 81 don't think that's fair
But it was fair: for the first outgoing
squad at evening was the first to arrive in
the morning. Equal division OF labor is
the motto OF the firm, and the Biblical
quotation Of 1.-THE last shall be first is
not carried out
STARTLING SIGHT.
Twenty minutes after the first bell rang
the long aisles were in darkness, with the
exception Of here and there a dim light at
each end Of the room. The supernten-
dent and the journalist inspected the
premises. In going through the suit de-
partment a startling sight met the repor-
ter's eyes A row of graceful forms
dressed in costumes worth hundreds OF
dollars were there before the store closed;
but on the return trip they had been dis
robed and nothing remained Of their for
mer splendor but paper bustles. A wire
form wearing paper hustle in a dimly
lighted room produces a ghostly effect,
and Mr.. Thorne said ''he was not sur
DriSel mt the VISITORS timidity ~
The sound of female voices was heard
singing a plaintive negro melody.
THAT comes from the work room on the
top floor" said the guide. 1--WE some
times keep the dressmakers at work until
midnight altering cloaks and dresses
bought during the day. OF course we pay
them literally for all extra work"
The basement Of a dry goods store at
night is a busy place. III the delivery de-
partment clerks were busy MS bees check
ing off the packages and depositing them
in the boxes of the drivers, w..o stuffed
their wagons with them until the sides
bulged out.
These are the cloak rooms" said the
superintendent, pointing to a long row OF
stalls with square opening in each door.
Here the clerks deposit their hats,
cloaks and lunch sachels, and receive a
sending the employees home in squads is to
avoid confusion here"
This is our head night watchman,"
said the superintendent ale is good
man to keep away from after dark He
is a walking arsenal and makes it very
uncomfortable for those who try to make
his acquaintance at night" He has =.
large force under him and they are all
well armed. Their duties are to close the
premises and protect it until daylight
They sweep ont the stores and dust every
nook and corner in the building. A squad
of paint cleaners follow the sweepers
They clean the stools and counters thor
oughly. The most delicate colored fabric
would not be injured by coming in contact
with the woodwork after they get through
with it. All night long the men worked
steadily, stopping at midnight for supper
and an hours well earned rest The
watchmen on the outside of the building
were relieved and went inside for smok-
ing hot supper supplied them by the lib
eral proprietor.
just rs daylight came tumbling through
the eastern windows the great iron shut
ters We're raised. The noise sounded like
the Changing of anchor chains on man
o'-war. The back windows were opened
and the dust blown out The advance
guard of clerks began to arrive The
white robes of the counters We're removed
and folded up and the bashful wire forms
were once more arrayed in presentable at
tire. Customers began 20 drift in. The
long night had passed and a new days
business had begun. New York Evening
sun.